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Mortal Kombat versus DC Universe is not exactly the perfect combination like peanut butter and chocolate or even peanut butter and jelly, but this title is still a respectable fighting game. The storyline revolves around both the Mortal Kombat and DC characters. It commences with the triumphant victory of Raiden over Shao Kahn, and Superman trumping Darkseid. As a result, the ramifications of their actions led to the amalgamation of the Mortal Kombat and DC worlds.

Once the DC and Mortal Kombat worlds merge together, there is an esoteric rage that makes all of the characters more belligerent. Because both of the worlds believe that the opposing world was accountable for the two worlds meshing, a rivalry ensues. For a fighting game, the plot is thick and admirable. This could just be the best narrative to come from a game from this genre. With that being said, there are some lingering holes in the tale. Consequently, the story fails to explore all of the characters in depth. It also seems rather bizarre that one of the side effects of rage is that it causes the characters to have yellow eyes and instinctively fight each other.  
 
The main storyline campaign is broken down into two branches, and you cannot manually select which characters you want to play with in the story mode. In addition, they are all automatically picked for you. From the Mortal Kombat perspective, gamers begin with Liu Kang. Conversely, the DC side starts with the Flash. There are a grand total of 22 characters in this universe to choose from. Baraka, Jax, Kano, Kitana, Liu Kang, Raiden, Scorpion, Shang Tsung, Shao Kahn, Sonya, Sub Zero are all on the Mortal Kombat world. Batman, Captain Marvel, Catwoman, Darkseid, Deathstroke, Green Lantern, Lex Luthor, Superman, The Flash, The Joker, and Wonder Woman are all on the DC world.

During combat, you can engage in Klose Kombat (No that is not a typo). Klose Kombat is when your character gets up close and personal with its enemy. The camera angle will zoom in on the fight, and the four face buttons have to be pressed to damage your enemy. At the other end of the spectrum, the character who does not initiate Klose Kombat has a chance to reverse the aggressor by hitting one of the four face buttons at precisely the perfect time. If the reverse is unsuccessful, then the two fighters will continue to battle each other for a few seconds. Assuming the reverse is successful, the Klose Kombat will be rescinded.

For those Mortal Kombat novices, there is a character move list that is available at the pause screen. Therefore, there is no memorization when you are attempting to execute a fireball or fatality. Speaking of the fatalities, this is where the game suffers. There are no gory fatalities like someone’s arms being torn off with blood sprouting out everywhere. The Mortal Kombat characters have fatalities, and the DC characters have heroic brutalities.

Each DC character has two heroic brutalities, and each Mortal Kombat character has two fatalities. None of the heroic brutalities and fatalities can be performed in the story mode. Moreover, the majority of the fatalities and heroic brutalities have been diluted. For example, Liu Kang’s infamous dragon transformation fatality from Mortal Kombat II has been superseded with a dragon insignia falling from the sky. There is also a problem with redundancy. For instance, both of Shang Tsung’s fatalities are exactly the same. Plus, some of the fatalities entail lifting someone up in the air and making that person crash into the ground. Are they incapable of coming up with something original? Worst of all, Kano has this fatality that may just be the most abysmal fatality in all of Mortal Kombat video game history. All he does is some sort of roll with a jump.

On the bright side, there are some fatalities that are impressive such as Sub Zero’s freeze fatalities and Scorpion’s fire fatalities. Baraka has the most excruciatingly painful fatality, as he kicks his adversary in the groin and stabs his blades straight through their chest. The odd aspect about Baraka’s fatality is the fact that it can be especially gruesome for women. If Baraka executes his fatality on a woman, then it looks like he is impaling his blades through her breasts (Ouch). We can only hope that Catwoman, Wonder Woman, and Kitana do not have breast implants because that could lead to a serious infection.

Within some of the levels, there is Test your Might and Free Fall Kombat. Test your Might is when you pick up your foe and ram them through various objects. Free Fall is when both characters are airborne, and they are both trying to see who literally comes out on top. Maybe the most intriguing element of the combat is rage.

Whenever you are perpetually hit with one attack right after another, your rage bars fill up. When those rage gauges are at maximum capacity, you can unleash your rage. Rage does not make you invulnerable; nevertheless, it can shift the tide of a battle. You become stronger and less susceptible to attacks.

Along with the story mode, there is an Arcade mode and Kombo Challenge mode. Arcade mode allows players to pick any character and go through ten fights with no heroic brutality and fatality restrictions. Once the ten battles have been completed, there is a static ending with a narrator. The only real incentive to play through arcade mode is to see the heroic brutalities, fatalities, and unlock a few hidden characters. Kombo challenge is about chaining together combinations moves. There is nothing too extravagant about playing online via PlayStation Network and Xbox Live. Wins, losses, and streaks are all available on the leaderboard. Fortunately, there is no lag while playing online.
 
Visually, the graphics have a Mortal Kombat and DC vibe to it. The environments are all entertaining to watch. Batman’s Bat-Cave looks as shadowy and ominous as his personality, and Gotham City is as gloomy as a pitch-black underground lair. Nonetheless, Metropolis is not all that showy. As a fight progresses, you can actually see the wounds on the characters develop. The character models are excellent. Flash is flashy, and many nerds will be wondering exactly what is underneath Wonder Woman’s skirt.      
 
The audio is sufficient, as the sounds effects are enjoyable. You can hear a bone breaking during the battles. Musically, it all feels too bland. Unlike, The Dark Knight there is no epic musical score in this game. Voice acting has its pros and cons. Liu Kang just sounds like a prepubescent girl, but The Joker sounds like a likable villain. There is even one facetious scene where The Joker makes an allusion to Star Trek.
 
Overall, Mortal Kombat versus DC Universe is an amusing game for a succinct weekend of entertainment. While it is far from immaculate, it is nice to see unexpected rivalries brewing.   
 
Art Direction 8.5
Visually, the graphics have a Mortal Kombat and DC vibe to it.

Audio 7.5
The audio is sufficient, as the sounds effects are enjoyable.

Gameplay 7.5
Mortal Kombat versus DC Universe is an amusing game for a succinct weekend of entertainment. While it is far from immaculate, it is nice to see unexpected rivalries brewing.   

Presentation 7.5
Story is not bad, but there are some lingering holes in the plot.

Replay Value 6.5
Very short story mode, online is less than average, and Kombo Challenge is not grandiose. 

Final Verdict 7.5 out of 10